Stress and Child Development: A Review of the Family Stress Model

In the present report, we provide an illustrative review of the Family Stress Model (FSM) framework1 to understand how family stress influences children across development in physical, social-emotional, and cognitive domains. We note that the FSM as a theory has evolved through inspection of: (a) new explanatory pathways (mediators); (b) factors that moderate FSM pathways; and (c) joint tests of competing models. Also important, most researchers cited in this review used longitudinal designs to test the proposed causal ordering of FSM pathways, which replicated among a diverse set of families varied in structure, ethnic background, and geographic location. We encourage continued FSM scholarship with prevention and intervention efforts in mind

Economic pressure, parent personality and child development : an interactionist analysis

That positive personality characteristics in the youth age of the G2 would predict less economic stresses in the adult age. At the same time, these positive personality traits were expected to stop the negative family processes that are likely to hinder a competent development in G3. The findings were consistent with the selection aspect in the interactionist model. The model also said beforehand that economic stress and other family-related stress processes influenced the development of G3 over the earlier G2 personality. The socialization aspect in the interactionist model thus also received support. However,The findings were consistent with this social selection. The model also predicted that of the G1 personality. This social causation of the interactionist model also received support. (Author\u27s abstract) The findings suggest that the relationship between the individual and the individual is the same. This social causation of the interactionist model also received support. (Author\u27s abstract) The findings suggest that the relationship between the individual and the individual is the same. This social causation of the interactionist model also received support. (Author\u27s abstract) The findings suggest that the relationship between the individual and the individual is the same

Economic pressure, parent personality and child development: an interactionist analysis

"Der gegenwärtige ökonomische Abschwung in den USA und auf der ganzen Welt hat wieder die Aufmerksamkeit auf die Prozesse gelenkt, durch die Familien und Kinder durch ökonomische Härten belastet sind. Diese Studie betrachtet die Reaktionen auf ökonomische Härten in einer Stichprobe von Erwachsenen, die zum ersten Mal vor 20 Jahren befragt wurden, als sie noch Jugendliche waren. Insgesamt 271 der ursprünglichen G2 Jugendlichen (Durchschnittsalter M = 25.6 Jahre) nahmen an dieser Studie zusammen mit ihren kleinen Kindern (G3, Durchschnittsalter M = 2.31 Jahre zum ersten Erhebungszeitpunkt) und, in 81% der Fälle, zusammen mit dem anderen Elternteil des Kindes. Die Datenanalysen folgten einem interaktionistischen Modell und gingen davon aus, dass positive Persönlichkeitseigenschaften im Jugendalter der G2 weniger ökonomische Belastungen im Erwachsenenalter vorhersagen würden. Gleichzeitig wurde erwartet, dass diese positiven Persönlichkeitseigenschaften die negativen Familienprozesse aufhalten würden, die eine kompetente Entwicklung in G3 wahrscheinlich behindern. Die Befunde waren mit dem Selektionsaspekt im interaktionistischen Modell konsistent. Das Model sagte darüber hinaus vorher, dass ökonomischen Belastungen und andere familienbezogene Stressprozesse die Entwicklung von G3 über die frühere G2 Persönlichkeit beeinflussten. Der Sozialisationsaspekt im interaktionistischen Modell erhielt also auch Unterstützung. Die Befunde sprechen dafür, dass die Beziehung zwischen den ökonomischen Bedingungen und der Entwicklung von Kindern einen dynamischen Prozess aus Selektion und Sozialisation darstellt, der über Zeit und über Generationen zum Tragen kommt." (Autorenreferat)"The current economic downturn in the U.S. and around the world has refocused attention on the processes through which families and children are affected by economic hardship. This study examines the response to economic pressure of a cohort of youth first studied 20 years ago as adolescents and now grown to adulthood. A total of 271 of the original G2 adolescents (M age = 25.6 years) participated in the study with their young child (G3, M age = 2.31 years at the first time of assessment) and the child's other parent in 81% of the cases. Data analyses were guided by the interactionist model which proposed that positive G2 personality attributes during adolescence would predict lower economic pressure during adulthood and would diminish the negative family processes related to economic pressure expected to disrupt competent G3 development. The findings were consistent with this social selection aspect of the interactionist model. The model also predicted that economic pressure and other aspects of the related family stress process would affect G3 development net of earlier G2 personality. This social causation aspect of the interactionist model also received support. The findings suggest that the relationship between economic conditions and child development reflect a dynamic process of selection and causation that plays out over time and generations." (author's abstract

Economic Change and Change in Well-Being in the Czech Republic, with Comparisons to Married Women in the United States

Examines the effects of economic change on individual well-being for a panel of married Czech women compared with a US sample from IA (N = 192 & 386, respectively, in 1990/91). Questionnaire data show that respondents who were forced to make economic adjustments reducing their standard of living also reported increased health problems & depressive symptoms. Contrary to some US findings the relationship between economic adjustments & change in depressive symptoms was strongest among those who reported having the strongest sense of personal control (mastery) & the highest perceived social support. Compared with the US sample, married Czech women reported more depressive symptoms, had more health problems, & were lower in feelings of mastery. In addition, Czech women recorded significantly stronger paths linking education to changes in health conditions & depressive symptoms, whereas US women had significantly stronger paths linking actual economic conditions to subsequent economic adjustments. Data suggest that the US stress-distress model applies in the Czech Republic as well, but further understanding of the differentiated role of social support & mastery for Czech & US women is necessray to more completely interpret the observed interactions

Couple Resilience to Economic Pressure Over Time and Across Generations

Research suggests that economic stress disrupts perceived romantic relationship quality; yet less is known regarding the direct influence of economic stress on negative behavioral exchanges between partners over time. Another intriguing question concerns the degree to which effective problem-solving might protect against this hypothesized association. To address these issues, the authors studied two generations of couples who were assessed approximately 13 years apart (Generation 1: N = 367, Generation 2: N = 311). On average and for both generations, economic pressure predicted relative increases in couples’ hostile, contemptuous, and angry behaviors; however, couples who were highly effective problem solvers experienced no increases in these behaviors in response to economic pressure. Less effective problem solvers experienced the steepest increases in hostile behaviors in response to economic pressure. Because these predictive pathways were replicated in both generations of couples it appears that these stress and resilience processes unfold over time and across generations

Differential Item Functioning on Antisocial Behavior Scale Items for Adolescents and Young Adults from Single-Parent and Two-Parent Families

We investigated measurement equivalence in two antisocial behavior scales (i.e., one scale for adolescents and a second scale for young adults) by examining differential item functioning (DIF) for respondents from single-parent (n = 109) and two-parent families (n = 447). Even though one item in the scale for adolescents and two items in the scale for young adults showed significant DIF, the two scales exhibited non-significant differential test functioning (DTF). Both uniform and nonuniform DIF were investigated and examples of each type were identified. Specifically, uniform DIF was exhibited in the adolescent scale whereas nonuniform DIF was shown in the young adult scale. Implications of DIF results for assessment of antisocial behavior, along with strengths and limitations of the study, are discussed

Population Frequencies of the Triallelic 5HTTLPR in Six Ethnicially Diverse Samples from North America, Southeast Asia, and Africa

Genetic differences between populations are a potentially an important contributor to health disparities around the globe. As differences in gene frequencies influence study design, it is important to have a thorough understanding of the natural variation of the genetic variant(s) of interest. Along these lines, we characterized the variation of the 5HTTLPR and rs25531 polymorphisms in six samples from North America, Southeast Asia, and Africa (Cameroon) that differ in their racial and ethnic composition. Allele and genotype frequencies were determined for 24,066 participants. Results indicated higher frequencies of the rs25531 G-allele among Black and African populations as compared with White, Hispanic and Asian populations. Further, we observed a greater number of ‘extra-long’ (‘XL’) 5HTTLPR alleles than have previously been reported. Extra-long alleles occurred almost entirely among Asian, Black and Non-White Hispanic populations as compared with White and Native American populations where they were completely absent. Lastly, when considered jointly, we observed between sample differences in the genotype frequencies within racial and ethnic populations. Taken together, these data underscore the importance of characterizing the L-G allele to avoid misclassification of participants by genotype and for further studies of the impact XL alleles may have on the transcriptional efficiency of SLC6A4